San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-02-22

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fare of all; but l find il difficult TO tell
| you. Can you not guess what it is?'
NO. WhatI' Her voice was hOarse
| with a nameless fear, and she gaspel
as she spoke.
He looked into her face for mo-
ment, then almost turned his back as
| he answered.
Il am going to take another wife.
| The wise men of our tribe advise it,"
His cheeks paled as he spoke, and he
stood rs though expecting All Outburst
of passion.
But nothing met his ear save "a low
moan, as Miriama pressed her clenched
hands tightly over her heart. So they
stood for some time, the man moving
uneasily from one foot to another, and
looking away from his companion,
the woman mOtiOnless as a statue, with
her head bent on her breast. But pres
emily she raised her head, trying 10
smile with her pitiful ashen lips.
"Te ORR ever loved joke; Miriama
is stupid not to laugh"
1T is no joke" he returned roughly;
"and Miriama is-as she Says-stupid,
or she would have guessed it long ago.
Come"-and he placed his hand on her
shoulder almost timidly-"come-yOu
have ever been a good wife; let your
husband tell you why he does this
thing. Five times have the summer
flowers bloomed and faded since the
spirit of TIE Whoree rose like bird
from the sea and floated away to the
regions of peace and joy, leaving us
desolate. No other son has come to
us; and you know that for ages past it
has ever been the rule for son to sue
coed father as chief of our tribe. Is
TIE ORR less than all his forefathers
that he should leave the son of dis
tant kinsman, the hated Lura Kiua, to
rule his people and reap the harvest Of
the good seed he has toiled to sowp
No, no; it must never be! This heart
burns with bitter fury at the thought.
Now, Miriama, look up and tell me l
do WELL"
She raised her face, every sensitive
guish, and looked into his eyes for
moment, then threw herself upon his
breast.
mo, it would not be we'll 1t would
be wicked, and no good would come of
it. My beloved, my beloved, think
what it is you would dol"
"Ugh!" he exclaimed impatiently,
trying to shake himself free from her
clinging arms.
"Ah!"-and she drew back with a
shiver. Am l indeed become 80 loath-
some to you? THERE will not touch
you; but, oh, let me try to show how
wrong it is-this new marriage! You
are brave chief and good; you could
not break the VOW you made me on our
wedding-day. See-there is the very
spot where we stood together! You
cannot mistake it, for the old war
canoe stands there still, half buried in
sand and useless, save to mark the spot
where you vowed to be true and faith
full TIL death severed us. You could
not break such promise. All, hus-
band'--dropping upon her knees and
holding up her clasped hands in an
agony of Observation-Disclosures is plead
ing for more than life! In all these
years has she not been faithful, jOyed
i'll your joys, and sOrrowed when you
were sad? Teach her how to win back
your love, and, no matter how difficult
it may be, she will do it. This must be
a black, black dream; It's too horrible
to be real. Shake me, wake me, TIE
ORR, or L shall go mad!"
Talk no more, Miriama; it is useless;
for, even if TIE ORR would go back from
his word, it is too late now. TO-mOr-
row he goes to the Ramarama and the
day following will see him home again
with the new wife. Then will he look
round for you, hoping for smile and
gentle greeting. Let TIE ORR see that
you will be as true friend as you have
been wife. Now our talk is finished;
the day draws to close, and there is
much to be done. Rise up and go
home. Why carry you such heavy
calabasheS? Surely there are stronger
women than you amongst my people to
do such work! But-before | leave
you-are we friends"
Friends? Never! Since you are
determined to kill my soul, kill my
body alsOl You have your patti there
one swift strong stroke, and all will
be over. See"-bending her head and
sweeping the thick mantle of her hair
aside-"1 am ready. | refuse to live
any longer. The sun of my life has set,
and l am afraid of the darkness that
will follow. TIE ORR, wait!"
"Pahl-and he drew his breath
quickly as he stepped forward and
raised her to her feet. HAS Miriama
got back to her babyhOod, to think l
would hurt hair of her head? Is my
heart 50 small that | cannot love two
women at once? Once more, our talk
is finished. Col"
yes, | will gol And may Oh,
no, no, no-Surely not that! Curses
from the lips of Miriama on the head
of her best beloved? Oh, take them
all back; and may they fall on my own
head! You will not kill me, and so
send me from anguish that drives me
mad to peace and rest in the company
of my children? So be it; must live.
Yes! our talk is ended, and it only re-
mains for you to say one kind word to
cheer me on the lonely road path Of my
future life. Hitherto we have sailed
along the stream of life i'll the same
canoe; but from now poor Miriama
must steer her own, and that too
through the rough seas of pain and sor-
row, and without one star of hope to
help her find her way. Won't you say
the kind words that must last her so
long, Te ORR? There are no curses in
her heart nOw-only great love and
bitter pain"
What mean your" He had been
looking at her with a moody brow.
"Te Orr likes no flowery speech"
Il mean that this is goodbye be-
tween us. will leave the kHingd with
my faithful old kinswoman, and 60 to
my brother. With what hot bushes of
shame shall tell my storyl But what
matters it-what matters anything
nOwp You may say truly that your
heart is large enough for two women-
but not II Miriama be one of them, for
she is greedy, and will have all or none.
All, why do you SOPHIE had sprung to
her side, and, clutching her slender
wrists, was shaking her violently i'll q
. III f,,,